NFL Diversity Committee

[Reznor]

Saw behind the lines on ESPN last night, and some of the things Kellen Winslow Sr. said really bothered me.

Whatever happened to interviewing candidates based on their merits instead of how they could diversify the workplace? With the proliferation of black position coaches and assistants, it's only a matter of time before enough of them have the experience needed to actually get a head coaching job in the NFL. It is not right for the league to dictate who owners have to interview. I'm sure if Bill Parcells was a minority, then he would have still gotten the job based on his qualifications and record.

Johnny Cochran has no place in the NFL.

Any thoughts?

I really hope this doesn't come across as racism...

 

[kshead]

Originally posted by Reznor
With the proliferation of black position coaches and assistants, it's only a matter of time before enough of them have the experience needed to actually get a head coaching job in the NFL.

Any thoughts?

I really hope this doesn't come across as racism...

It doesn't come across as racism. I saw it too on Sunday morning.

If you saw Kellen speak then perhaps you'd like to try and answer the question he asked in regards to your question:

How long of a time frame is an acceptable "matter of time"?

 

[Reznor]

Kellen was very rude imo, and I don't see any problem with the current time frame, there are minority head coaches, minority assistants, minority position coaches...an acceptable time frame to me would consist of these minority assistants gaining the experience necessary for a head coaching job. I'm almost positive that the reason Dennis Green doesn't have a job has nothing to do with his skin color. Marvin Lewis has a well-documented history of "not interviewing well" even though he's now the front-runner for the Bengals job.

Perhaps Kellen should realize that some of these minorities that he's helping force into the ranks are in fact not ready to be head coaches, no matter what race they are. I just feel that we are making steps in the right direction with the influx of minority assistants, etc. and I also feel that using legislation to force the issue could cause problems down the road. How would you feel as a football fan if the head coach of your team was in place because of certain rules instead of in place because of his qualifications? It sets him up for failure because he's not ready for head coaching.

 

[kshead]

I agree that Kellen was rude. Sometimes rude is called for, sometimes its not. That particular show was probably not the time for rude. I don't know what I would think if I were him though. I'm not a black man waiting for a job. I don't know what the "right" time frame either is BTW. I'd think now is probably a better answer than later though. I'd hire Art Shell or Denny Green - favorite playing asshole he is - if I had a team myself. Marvin Lewis too. I don't worry much about "good interviewing". Interviews don't win football games.

I agree that forcing the issue in the manner Cochran has suggested is wrong. But...

We talk about this here at work a lot about hiring in general. I honestly think that when a guy goes to make a hire he is going to call the first person he is most comfortable with. Most of the times, an old white guy's (in this case, NFL owners) circle of friends and colleagues is full of old white guys. That's not racist - that's just the way it is. So if bitching about that basic truth over and over gets a few more minorities through the door and interviewed, I'm not sure it's a bad thing.

I don't know how to change that within the current
system otherwise. I'm sure the solution is not as extreme as JC wants. I agree that going that far would be crap. But I'm also pretty sure no one is going to just open the doors without a few people banging on them (loudly at times perhaps) either. The answer probably lies in the middle. I don't know what is in another man's mind.

 

[PanthersReturn]

This reminds me of the "black QB controvery" when I was a kid. There was Haven Moses, James Harris, and then came Doug Williams. The stereotype for the position at the time was not accurate.

Chuck Noll said while Tony Dungy was a Steeler, that we would be a solid head coach one day. And he is. Chuch also gave Joe Gilliam a shot to QB the Steelers - based on his merits/abilities, not his skin color. Joe was something, too.

In my opinion, Chuck Noll was "equal opportunity" - and color blind.

I believe you'll see more African-Americans becoming head coaches. It helps when their mentors are color blind as well. I do believe the "good old boy" network is solid & exists - coaches like Wannstedt could be replaced by one of my dogs. But people still need to work their way up the ranks.

Staying there is a different story. Dennis Green would be a head coach right now if he wanted to be.

The "how much time" is a good one, though.

 

[Reznor]

Excellent points guys, thanks for the input.

 

[Reznor]

To be honest, I would have been far more sympathetic toward Kellen's position if not for his attitude. I respect the man, but being flat-out rude and not even letting the other guy make a point without interrupting and disparaging the publication he writes for, will not help his agenda imo. I know it didn't with me, sometimes you have to lose the attitude. I'm embarrassed to say that Kellen pretty much came across as an "angry black man" to me. He definitely has good valid points but his approach is lacking...

 

[Rumpeltiltspin]

The real point is whether someone is NOT hired ONLY because of his skin color. That would be racist.
I do not believe in affirmative action as it is very counter productive, and actually causes more problems than it solves down the road.
I've hired many people, and done so on merits only for the most part. I totally go on merit, but have been subject to having to hire based on #'s. Some have been black, some have been white, they have been from both sexes. Some have been great empoyees, some have not, and it has nothing to do with race.

Forcing the issue is not good, as I can tell you that most empoyees I've been forced to hire because of their color or sex, have been the worst empoyees I've hired. And that has not been because of their race or sex. The one correlation, is the forced part.

It happens when it happens, sooner than later more than likely.

 

[Village Idiot]

I'm not against diversity or black head coaches or black anything. But I am against having something forced upon me just to satisfy a certain agenda. This type of treatment draws rebelion. That is the feeling that I get from this latest flurry of activity. What ever happened to hiring the most competent person for the job? Who is doing the hiring? Who signs the paychecks? If a guy deserves a job as a head coach, somebody will scoop him up. So what if he gets passed over a few times. I would'nt want to work for anybody that did'nt really want me in the first place. That would serve as motivation for me to prove myself even more when I did get a head coaching job. We have turned into a nation of whiners. My big ole butt!